Latch



M y 1947. A, VANDER HENST 2,420,114

LATCH Filed A rile, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 6, 1947- A. VANDER HENST 2,420,114

LATCH Filed April 9, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 o 3/ H l Inuenfor AbmhamVanderHensf Afiornew Patented May 6, 1947 UNITED STATES" PFA'ITEN'I? OFFICE.

LATCH;

Abraham Vander. Henst, Grand. Rapids, Mich, assignor. to, National Brass, Company, Grand- Rapidalviich, a corporation-ofMichigan Application April;9',. 1945, .SeriaLNo 537,229

9 Claims. 1 This, invention relates to door latches, which in general are retractedby the turning of-knobs or similar manually engageable devices at both off the door, and in which the latch bolt-j may be automatically pushed; back when the; door is.

closediand-theboltengage akeeper therefor without aifecting; or operating the: manuallyv operable retracting :means.

The structure offlatchdeveloped, also is;=one; to which a manually operable lock; may: be applied,

locatedlfor operation at; the; inner: side of the doorrand movable into a locking. positionwheree in: the bolt; is held. against: retraction.- from. the. outsidecfthe door but maybe freely: withdrawn at the inner, side.

any. manner. in which the bolt may be retracted,

such asvopening. the door from the inner sideafter: it: has been lockedv against opening from the" outside; enclosing the door. with the automatic. pushing in. of the bolt when the door: is closed, if'the lockisin operative position at such: time; or. by merely: pushing against the outer.- projecting. bolt headto push it inwardly a short distance, the release of the lock being accompli'shed by any short inward movement of the latchbolt after the lock has once been moved to its operative locking position.

The latch structure ofmy invention, moreover, is: a complete latch-without the locking attachment added thereto, and may be manufac hired and sold without such inside lock, but is of a structure whichis designed for association andoperation therewith of the inside look, to thus convert the latch" into what is commonly known as a bathroom locking latch.

The invention and a preferred form of structure which has been designed to embody it may be understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in.which,v I i Fig, 1 is ahorizontal section through the latch mechanism. of; my invention. installed on a door. at a free vertical edge thereof, a. fragmentary portion, of the door being shown inhorizontal section, with the, insidev operable, lock at its inoperative. position.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal horizontal section Meansare also provided in; the noyelaconstruction; releasing the look, upon a limitedinward movement: ofthe bolt obtained'in.

2., throughthe latch, similar to Fig. 1, with-the lock pushed toits operative locking position.

Fig; Sis a longitudinal verticaljsection through thelatch structure,

Figs. 4, 5, fiandfl. are transverse verticalsections-on the planesof lines 4,-4, 5+5, S -Sand" l l. respectively, and.

Fig. Bisa fragmentary elevation of a. detail of structure of the latch mechanism.

Like reference characters refer to like partsv in-thedifferent figures of the drawings.

The latch. is designed. to be installed; on a hinged door I which, at its free vertical edge isbored into the body. of the door horizontally to make-acylindrical receiving opening or recess 2.. Transverse openings Kare madethroughthe door toward the inner end of the recess and;

other transverse openings. 4, of smaller size are, alsomade through the door spaced outwardly a short distance, from the openings Said open ingslmay all be quickly and readily bored, and,

that. is allthat is required in.the way. of f tting the door for the latch installation, being, accom:- plished with-a minimum: of labor and expense,

Thejlatchhasa sheet metal housing, made of,

two parts,which are placed togetherat adjacent. contacting edges and secured. in. such, positi n to provide a housing, within which, the. major portionof the latch mechanism is disposed. The housing at its forward portion; is of cylindrical, form, each of the halvesof thehousings having. a, semi-cylindrical section 5, pressed inwardly at, itsv inner'endto form a horizontal shoulder 6, and thencontinued in-substantiallychannel form as at I; Roll-back mountings, consisting: of, cylindrical sleeves 8 are pressed one from the web of; each channelsection l a distanceinwardly oft-he shoulder 6,, and; at the innerend, the metalof'the websof said channel are pressed-together asshown; inffisl, a c nnecting screw 9 being, used to. secure the two parts of the housing to,- getherattheinner end-thereof. At each side ofsaidv contacting connectingportions ofthe house ing at the innerend, guide portions HI. remain in, the housing to receive and; guide the rear end portions of the retractor bars associated with and forming, a part of thelatch bolt assembly when the, latch bolt assembly is retracted, as hereafter describ d.

Thelatch housing at its outer end is reduced in diameter, as indicated at H, over which a cup member I; of sheet metal is telescoped and detachably secured in place in; accordance with well known practice. To the bottom of the cup member a face plate I3 is. permanently secured,

said plate being normally installed at the edge of the door flush therewith as shown in Fig. 1. The bottom of the cup l2 and the plate l3 have alined openings for the passage of the head of the latch bolt, and guides l4 and [5 in parallel relation and spaced from each other extend longitudinally into the housing from the cup and plate, respectively, as shown.

The latch bolt structure includes a head 16 beveled at one side, from which a cylindrical sleeve l1 secured thereto extends into the housing with its axis substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of said housing. At its inner end a transverse plate I8 is secured, the sleeve being capable of rotation relative to the plate, said plate having a diameter slightly less than the interior diameter of the cylindrical portion 5 of the latch housing. A coiled spring I9 is located within the sleeve l1, at its front end engaging against the head l6, and extends beyond the inner end of the sleeve to and bears against a, transverse plate which is held by the pressure of said spring against the shoulders 6 of the housing, (Fig. 1). The bolt head and attached sleeve I1 may be turned about the axis of the sleeve to change the position of the head for installation on right or left swinging doors.

Roll-backs 2| of conventional construction are mounted for turning movement, one in each of the bearings 8. Each roll-back has an integral arcuate flange 22 extending in an outward direction, and bearing against the inner side of an associated web of the channel sections 1 of the housing, the two flanges being spaced a distance from each other. A spindle 23 preferably square in cross section is passed through an opening to correspond in each roll-back, and each of the spindles extends through an opening 3 in the door, being connected for independent rotative movement within the housing, at their outer ends and at opposite sides of the door being provided with a turning knob 24. The usual decorative escutcheon or rose 25 is disposed one to each side of the door at the inner end of each knob as shown (Fig. 1). The escutcheon 25 at the outer side of the door has an opening 26 therein in substantial alinement with the adjacent opening 4 in the door.

Two spaced apart bars 21 are permanently secured at their outer ends to the plate l8, extend inwardly in parallel relation to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the housing, and are located adjacent substantially diametrically opposed sides of the housing. Toward their rear portions they are widened inwardly toward each other, as indicated at 21a, and from each an integral ear 28 is turned laterally. As said bars 21 are located toward the inner side of the door, at the side of a plane centrally and longitudinally of the housing, said bars 21 at one side come closely adjacent to the flange 22 of the roll-back nearest adjacent the inner side of the door, and the ears 28 extend into the paths of movements of the ends of said flange, so that on manual operation of the knob 24 at the inner side of the door, in either direction, the latch bolt is retracted. The bars 21 at the inner extended shoulders where said bars are widened at 2101. are each formed with a triangular or pointed projecting edge 29, the sides of which come to a point substantially midway between the sides of the bar (Figs. 1 and 2). Each of said bars 21 a short distance inwardly from its point of connection to the plate I8 has a short slot 3|) with closed ends cut therethrough as shown (Fig. 3).

Two additional bars 3| of substantially uniform width for the major portion of their lengths, and with such width equal to the widened portion 21a of the bars 21, are located one alongside each of said bars 21 as shown, each having a pin 32 projecting laterally from its outer portion through; the slot 39 in the adjacent bar 21. The bars 3& at their outer ends terminate short of the plate i8 and are not connected thereto except throughthe connection provided by the pins 32 and slots 30 described. At their inner ends the bars 3! are formed with laterally bent cars 33 extending in a direction opposite to the ears 28 on bars 21, and into the paths of movement of the ends of; the flange 22 of the roll-back nearest adjacent the outside of the door, so that a turning of the knob 24 at the outside of the door, in either di-' rection, retracts the bars 3! which transmit their' movement through pins 32 extending through slots 30 to the bars 21, with a consequent withdrawal of the projecting latch bolt I6. Each of the bars 3| (Fig. 8) at their adjacent sides is notched to make a rectangular recess 34, said recesses being opposite each other and located slightly outward of the flange 22 of the associated roll-back.

The latch structure thus far described, and without the bathroom lock attachment about to be described, is complete and an operative latch applicable to a door for releasably holding it in closed position. Such construction however is particularly adapted for the cooperative association therewith of a locking means which when, in its operative position, locks the latch bolt against retraction by operation of the outside door knob, yet permits free operation of the in-- side door knob to retract the latch bolt. A pushbar 35 preferably rectangular in cross section (Fig. 3), passes through the channel parts 1 of the housing, and is guided in longitudinal slid-- able movements therethrough. An operating push rod 36 is screw connected therewith and extends through an opening in the inner escutcheon 25 of a non-circular shape corresponding to the non-circular cross section of said push member 36. The locking push bar 35 is acted against at one end by a coiled spring 31, housed within it and bearing at one end against the section 1 of the housing adjacent the outer side of the door, tending to move the push bar toward the inner side of the door. From both the upper and lower sides of the push bar 35 lugs 38 extend in opposite directions, the free ends of which stop slightly short of the adjacent inner sides of the bars 21, and also short of the bottom of the recesses 34 in the bars 3|. At their inner sides each of the lugs 38 has a pointed triangular shaped projection 39 with inclined sides which are disposed in position to cooperate with the similarly shaped edges 29 on the shoulders of the widened sections 21a of bars 21. The lugs 38 coming against the web of the channel section 1 of the housing adjacent the inner side of the door, stop the push bar 35 in a predetermined position, as in Fig. 1, with two of the inclined sides of the parts 29 and 39 substantially in contact engagement.

In this position of the push bar 35 the latch bolt may be retracted by turning the knob at either side of the door in either direction, there being no obstruction to inward movement of either of the bars 21 or 3|. The locking push bar 35, however, may be moved to the position in Fig. 2 by pushing upon the outer end of the member 36, whereupon the triangular projections as will ride over thesimilar" triangular shaped edges at 29 againstthe yielding resistanoe' or the spring IQ- which wi-ll be slightly compressed in such operation because of a short-longitudinal movement imparted to the bars 211 lugs tdwillent'er the recesses 34' of b'ars- ?F|" and-"- a position preventing inward movement of said bars. Theopposite sides of the triangulanprojecting parts Z9- and 39 will be in engagement, held against 'theinfiuence of the spring 3T which does not have suflicient strength'to overcome the spring [9 and move the'bar's 2 inwardly the necessary distance toreturn the-lock push-mem ber 35* to its" initlalp'o'sition shown in Fig. 1'.

Under suchposition of the lbck'i'ng push bar 35; the bars 3| cannot bemoved longitudinally because stopped by the lugs 36 the recesses 3 4 and thelatch bolt is securely held" against retraction upon" attempted turning of the outside door knob. The bolt may be-retract'edby operating the inside door knob. The first or initial efiect of such turning movement is; to move the bars 2! inwardly with the slots 31Pin said bars moving relatively tothe" pins 32 such pin and" slot connection'permitting a short movement of bars 21- relative to the locked bars 31; Such movement is sufficient to withdraw the pointed" edge portions 29 c'arr'iedby tl'ie'bars 21 out of the path ofmovement of the similarly shapedprojections 39 on" the locking push bar, and said push bar immediately returns from its locking positionshown in Fig. 2 to a neutral position showninFig. 1 under movement imparted by the spring 31', whereupon the entire mechanism is unlocked and thebolt maybe continued to be retracted'fr'om'the inner side" ofth'e door; and is also unlockedso that it maybe retracted at the outerside.

It is of course apparent that any inward-movement of thebolt head l6 and the parts connected therewith, so that the bars 2 are moved inwardly sufficient to disengage the'projections $9 of the locking push rod- 35- will release theloclr. Therefore if the lock is in operative position'w'ith the door'open, enclosing the door it is instantly released; or any pressure applied to" the" outer end of the bolt head Iii to move" it inwardly will effect the same result.

The latch structure described is novel, practi'c'al;v readily manufactured and: assembled and installed with economy. Foreniergencyunlocking a key rod or other appropriate implement may be passed through the opening 26 in the outside-escutcheon plate 25 to-apply pressure to the-adjacentend of the locking push rod- 35 and move it to unlocked position overcoming spring I 9 enough to release the locking bar 35. The latch with the lock combined therewith is equipped with all the necessary safeguards for all conditions of use.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A latch mechanism comprising, an elongated housing open at one end, a latch bolt spring actuated to partially project at the open end of the hous ng, retractor bars connected to the latch bolt and extending therefrom inwardly, manually operable means mounted at oneside of the housing in engagement with said retractor bars to move them longitudinally to draw the latch bolt inwardly, additional retractor bars located alon side of and slidably connected to the first retractor bars and extending inwardly, other manua-lly' operable means mounted at the opposite sideofitlie housing formovin'g' said second retractor barsinwardlyand' thereby draw the first retractor bars therewith andretract the latch bolt,

means' mounted' at the first mentioned sideof the lieusingand manually movable-to loclr'the second mentioned retractor' bars against movement, the first mentioned retraotorbar's-being left free for movement; and' intereng aging means between said locking means an'd thefirst mentioned ret'raot'or bars for holding it in operative locking position and for releasing it upon any inward movement thereof.

2'; A construction a's defined-in claim 1, one of saidimenti-onedretractor bars having each a slot longitudinally thereof, said slots having closed ends;- and a pin: having a diameter less than the length of s'aid slots on-zea'ch of the other of said mentioned:- retractor: bar's extending through the s-lotsz-said spring-means actuating the latch bolt normallypositioningisaid-pinsat one of the ends on said? slotsz.

32 fiI-n: a latch construction, an elongated housing i having: an. open end, alatch bolt slidably mounted at the out'en' portion of said housing and having. a head; normallyprojecting: through and beyond said open? end, a. spring for moving the" bolt in: an: outward direction, a pair of retractor barslocated adjacent opposite sides of the housing" connectedat their outer ends with therlatchb'o'lt and: extending therefromainwardly, each of said retractor bars atlits' end having a laterally extending projection, a roll-back mountedifor rocking movement: in a side oi the housingghaving an: outwardly projecting flange, the ends of' which substantially reach said projections; manuallyoperable means extending outward-1y at the-same side of the housing. and connected-with said roll-back' to rock it in both directionsa second pair of retractor'bars located one alongside each of? the first. pair of bars, the bars adjacent eachother having a pin" and' slot conrie'ctionlpermittingi a free movement of the first retractorliars inwardly a limited distance without movement of the second bars, said second bars having: at their inner ends each a lateral project i'on: extending in a direction opposite the direction oifextension of the lateral-projections on the first bars, a like roll-back andmanual means to rock: the: same mounted for rocking movement at? the opposite side of the housing, said rollback having a flange between the lateral projections'on: said. second retractor bars, whereby the latch b'oltLmay-be retracted onrocking either of said roll-backs from either side of the latch in either direction, a transverse locking member sl-i'dahly mounted onand passing through said housing, spring means normally moving said locking member to a position in which it is inoperative, aid second mentioned retractor bars having shoulders thereon and said locking member having projections moved into the inner path of movement of said shoulders when the locking member is moved to operative position, and interengaging means on said locking member and the first mentioned retractor bars holding the locking member in operative position when moved thereto and releasing it to return to inoperative position on a limited inward movement of said first mentioned retractor bars.

4. A construction as defined in claim 3, said interengaging means on the first mentioned retractor bars and said locking member comprising, triangular shaped projections on the locking member and cooperating similar triangular projections on the first retractor bars, said last mentioned projection being located in the path of movement of the first mentioned projections when the locking member is moved to operative position, whereby when thus moved the first retractor bars are moved inwardly against the bolt projecting spring means until the projections on the locking members have passed by those on the first retractor bars, whereupon the said projections on the first retractor bars engage those on the locking members at the opposite sides and yieldingly maintain said locking memher in operative position.

5. A latch mechanism comprising, a housing having an opening at its outer end, a spring actuated latch bolt located in the outer portion of the housing and normally projecting through and beyond said opening, means connected to the latch bolt and manually operable means mounted at one side of the housing in engagement therewith for drawing the latch bolt inwardly, additional means connected to the first withdrawing means, and additional manually operable means at the opposite side of the housing connected therewith for retracting the latch bolt, manually operable means extending through the housing and operable from the first mentioned side thereof for locking the second mentioned bolt retractor means against operation and means for releasing aid locking means upon any inward movement imparted to the latch bolt.

6. A latch mechanism comprising, a housing having an opening at its outer end, a spring actuated latch bolt having a head, extending through and projecting beyond the open end of the housing, a retractor bar connected to the latch bolt and extending inwardly therefrom, manually operable means mounted at one side of the housing in engagement with said retractor bar to move it longitudinally and move the latch bolt inwardly, an additional retractor bar having escapement connection with the first retractor bar manually operable means at the opposite side of the housing engaging with said additional retractor bar for drawing it and the first mentioned bar and latch bolt inwardly, manually operable means at the first side of the housing movable to a position to lock the second retractor bar against movement while leaving the first retractor bar free to move, and means for automatically releasing said locking means on any inward movement imparted to the latching bolt.

'7. A latch mechanism comprising, an elongated housing open at one end, a spring actuated latch bolt mounted in the outer portion of the housing and having a head projecting through and beyond the open end thereof, retractor bars connected to the latch bolt and extending inwardly therefrom, manually operable means mounted at one side of the housing in engagement with said retractor bars, second retractor bars located alongside of and slidably connected to each of the first retractor bars and extending inwardly, and other manually independently operable means mounted at the opposite side of the housing for moving said second retractor bars inwardly, thereby drawing the first retractor bars therewith to retract the latch bolt.

8. In a latch mechanism, a housing open at one end, a spring actuated latch bolt mounted for slidable movement within and at the outer portion of the housing having a bolt head extending through said opening and normally therebeyond, a retractor bar permanently connected at its outer end to said latch bolt and extending inwardly lengthwise of the housing, manually operable means mounted to rock about a transverse axis located at one side of the housing in engagement with said retractor bar to move it longitudinally and withdraw the latch bolt, an additional retractor bar located lengthwise of the housing having a pin and slot connected to the first retractor bar, manually independently 0perable means mounted at the opposite side of the housing and engageably connected with the second retractor bar to move it inwardly and through its connection to the first retractor bar to retract the latch bolt.

9. A construction containing the elements defined in claim 8, and a manually operable lock movably mounted on said housing to be moved from a normal unlocked position to a locked position interengaging means on said locking means and the second retractor bar for locking said second retractor bar against movement, the first retractor bar being free for a limited movement through its pin and slot connection with the second retractor bar, means for releasing the lock on any inward movement imparted to the first retractor bar, and means to return the locking means to its inoperative position upon said release, thereby freeing the latch bolt for retraction from either side of the housing.

ABRAHAM VANDER HENST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,723,803 Moore Aug. 6, 1929 1,845,646 Beal Feb. 16, 1932 

